Clockwork Amour
by princesa-ni
Summary: It has been a month since his disappearance. As the Carnival approaches, the town becomes disturbed. She desperately holds on to a fleeting promise amidst a tragedy. – Anju/Kafei – Takes place in the final days before the Carnival of Time – Link does not interfere in this timeline. Rated T for language, adult themes, and brief sexual themes (non-explicit).
1. Ch 1 - Yesterdays and Waiting Games

Springtime laundry came in heaps and the weaved basket she held strained her muscles.

_So heavy!_

Spring cleaning, spring beginnings. To the laundry pond she walked, in a balancing act to keep the fabrics from falling to the ground. 6 am was quiet, crisp. Only the birds and the frogs could be heard, singing to a new day. The sky was clear, the air smelled of earth and daffodils. The young girl was attentive to these things, letting the breeze run its fingers through her short auburn hair. She didn't mind being alone, despite the unpleasant chore her mother had posed on her. Spending the morning at the laundry pond would be peaceful. She could hum at the butterflies as she washed the linens. Solitude was something the timid child cherished.

But she would not be alone. To her dismay, someone else was already sitting on the bank. She recognized the boy almost instantly by the distinct color of his hair, which resembled a perse violet.

She let out an unexpected sigh. The boy turned to face her. He was the mayor's son.

"Good morning."

Lowering the basket, she waved meekly in response. His aura was regal, yet light. She had seen the boy before, in town hall and around the neighborhood. She had never approached him, being someone so shy.

"Isn't it a bit early for laundry?"

She shrugged a little, taking strands of her hair and twirling them nervously between her fingers.

The boy grinned, softening his gaze. He could tell his presence had taken her by surprise.

"Do you want some help?"

He stood up and brushed his hands against his trousers. They were royal purple. Everything about him, she noticed, was royal and mauve. His eyes especially.

"I couldn't… ask you to do that." She spoke so low it was almost inaudible.

"You aren't asking, I'm offering." His voice was like the water's surface. Restfully tranquil, clear, and reassuring.

The young girl remained still as he walked up to her. Smiling softly, he kneeled down and picked up the basket of linens, grunting at its weight.

"You're pretty strong, carrying this all the way here!" he mused, taking the basket towards the bank. He set it down and began to empty the contents onto the grass.

She wasn't sure how she felt about the mayor's son helping her do the Inn's laundry. She figured he wasn't one to perform such domestic chores. But there was something about this boy that made her feel at ease. She didn't want him to leave, though she felt guilty at his insisted help. Relieving her tense, sheepish posture, she joined him by the pond.

He had already begun scrubbing a sheet in the water when she joined his side. Brushing her skirt up underneath her legs, she sat down and couldn't help but watch his hands. Their movements were polished, refined. Mesmerizing. Her father's hands were stiff and strong, rugged in their masculine shape. But his were like rolling waves, smooth in their sophisticated movements. The hands of royalty it seemed. He might as well be a prince. She felt red thinking of this.

"Wh-why are you up so early?" She turned away, embarrassed from staring, picking up another sheet and dipping it in the water.

He smiled slightly, turning his head to her. "I like the morning. It's quiet."

"I feel like a burden. You don't have to help." She lowered her head.

"You speak very honestly." He continued scrubbing. "I admire that."

The young girl mused quietly over the compliment.

"Besides," he continued, "I've got time to spare."

"Thank you." Was it wrong of her to have assumed the mayor's son as someone who wasn't so, charitable?

They washed in silence for a while, leaving the talking to the springtime. The leaves of a tree ruffled beside them. A frog was chirping in the bushes. She became restless in his company.

_Should I be saying something?_

His expression seemed calm, yet lost in thought. Was he comfortable enough? She couldn't help but feel estranged. Yet, his company lulled her into a surprising comfort.

"Your father owns Stock Pot Inn, right?"

His question broke her from deep contemplation.

"Y-yes." She didn't mean for her voice to come out shaking.

"My father went to school with him. I think they were friends."

"Ah, right. M-my granny used to be their teacher."

He smiled at her again. "We could be friends, too."

Fluttering butterflies crowded her stomach in airy delight.

"Hmm." She managed a smile in her blush. "That'd be nice."

_Why am I… so nervous!_

His smile grew fonder. "I'd really like that."

She was charmed by his beaming expression. That day, a floating feeling flooded her chest. Holding in it a sweet scent in the air. A promising warmth in the early light.

"I'm Kafei." He took a break from the washing to turn towards her.

She nodded. "I-I know. You're, quite popular in town."

He chuckled, then sighed. "Yeah I guess I am. But don't let that make you tense. I'm easy."

She smiled apologetically. "I'm always anxious."

The way he looked at her, it was consoling. She eased her shoulders. There was something between them that smelled like spring.

"What's your name?"

This boy, there was something about his company, she thought. Something trustworthy. Something that brought solace to her nervous soul.

"I'm Anju."

* * *

"Miss. Miss!"

A harsh voice alerted the young woman. Like a ceramic bowl shattering on tile, her mind snapped back to reality.

"I, uh, welcome. Do you have a reservation?"

The words came out of her suddenly, like instinct.

"Huh? I already checked in!"

Realizing that the loud voice came from the troupe leader staying upstairs, Anju began to stammer in embarrassment.

"I-I apologize, sir. H-how can I help you?"

The man had a frown burrowed deeply in his forehead and his well defined mustache twisted sideways in what seemed like a permanent scowl.

"I asked you what time the Mayor's office opened. Hmph."

"Oh, of course." She glanced at the clock ticking behind her unsettled customer. "It will be open to the public at 10 a.m." Her soft voice was trembling.

"Hmph."

The man turned to sit on the divan before she could finish, without another word. The room succumbed into uncomfortable silence for what seemed, to Anju, like forever. Her face was still flushed in red. She tried to busy herself in the documents before her, slender fingers shaking. When the man finally decided to get up and make his exit, she let out an audible sigh of relief.

_That was sufficiently unpleasant._

Anju had never been good with people. Her timid nature was incompatible with her position at the Inn's front desk. Despite many years working in her father's legacy, her character would always be that of an anxious introvert.

She sighed again. These days it was more than her personality that was taking a toll on her. A recently turbulent romance had her in low spirits for some time. She couldn't focus properly on anything, and her worries showed despite her attempt to hide her feelings.

_It's been a month…_

The young woman could feel the gloom engulfing her like a dark fog. She brushed a hand through her autumn colored hair. It was never something that completely dissipated. Some days were better than others, but the fog remained, dizzying her soul. She tried to distract herself with work.

The lobby became still. The clock on the wall ticked in solitude, accompanied by the light foosteps of a dancer who had been pacing back and forth through the lobby all morning. She looked worried, trudging her bare feet up the stairs, down the stairs, through the lobby. Her movements, Anju observed, were like the clock on the wall. She was part of a performing group who had checked in the night before, along with the bitter man who left earlier.

They were all strange in character, Anju thought. Colorful yet quite odd. Their festive outfits were eye catching to say the least. The dancers colored their hair and painted their nails. There was a man who was always smiling and cranking a very peculiar music box. Cheery twin brothers who juggled balls and pins and all sorts of things. Then of course, the angry gentleman who was the troupe leader. Their contrast to the townsfolk was uncanny. With them they brought a sense of the bizarre and dramatic.

_But maybe, to them, we are the ones who are strange._

Lately, the town had been submerged in a ghastly atmosphere. In years past, Carnival time had always been joyous and brought good spirits. This year, for reasons that seemed lost, it was dim and drab, dull to the core. As the festivities continued to ornament Clock Town, Anju couldn't help but feel as though the celebration only reminded the people of their distress.

Her broken heart weighed down her willowy body. She sighed once more, trying to relieve the burden. She wanted to crawl into her bed, like an insect. To cocoon herself into non-existence. To sleep past Carnival time and awaken in a different timeline entirely. A world in which her lover had abandoned her, it was a world far too cruel.

Blankly staring at the tiny cow bobble-head on her desk, she lost track of time once more. Once the clock chimed the next hour, her blue eyes came back to life.

_It's eleven already?_

With a soft groan she stood up from the desk and headed to the Inn's kitchen. Her trembling doll-like fingers lit a match and ignited the stove's fire. Preparing food for her grandmother was not something she was fond of. The old woman had been sickly and sometimes refused to eat, despite Anju's hard work.

_I know I'm not a perfect cook but…_

She continued the task out of consideration. Usually it was her housework savvy mother who cooked for their small family, as well as the Inn's guests. However, she had left the afternoon before to visit old family friends in Romani Ranch. Anju couldn't quite figure out the motive behind her mother's visit. It was in haste and unexplained. Their relationship had been strained lately, and conversation was kept at a minimum. Ever since the disappearance of her fiancé, her mother had grown cold. The disconnect was stressful and lonely. Anju craved support, but she knew how bitter her mother was towards her union with her missing lover. She just hoped the woman wasn't causing a scene at the ranch, as she suspected he had fled there to be with Cremia. But he wouldn't have! Would he? Her overthinking caused her to run a hand through her hair again. She didn't want to be troubled by this right now.

Anju continued to cook with hollow eyes and troubled soul. Constantly plagued by memories of the past, she did her best to distract her mind. Although cooking wasn't her forte, she made the best out of it. The sound of the boiling porridge gave her a small sense of alleviation. A feeling she couldn't find in the presence of her family. Cooking like this reminded her of earlier days when the Inn used to be a cafeteria, run by her father. He had always been a charitable man, a great cook too, perhaps even better than her mother. She missed him. They all did. But the women of the inn now did best with what they had, and managed however they could.

She brought the wooden spoon to her lips, blowing softly on the hot food. Steam continued to swirl from the bubbling pot. The smell of pepper and herbs filled the room. She made a face at the taste of her cuisine.

_I guess it's… alright?_

"Oh well." With a shrug, she began to pour the contents of the pot into a bowl with a ladle. After complementing the tray with a glass of milk and a portion of bread, she wiped her hand on an apron hanging from the nearest hook.

Careful not to drop the contents of the platter, she made her way into her grandmother's room. Her steps were graceful and even. Before entering, she took a deep breath.

* * *

"_It was my granddaughter who cooked again today. Putting that to the lips shortens the life! I thought of a way to get by without eating. I'll try it tomorrow. I just hope I don't get caught."_

* * *

"Hi granny." She managed somewhat of a smile. "I made you lunch."

The old woman turned to her with a forced expression.

"Ah Tortus, I've already had lunch today."

Anju almost groaned. "Granny, it's me _Anju_. Tortus was my _father_."

"I've already had lunch. Now be quick to take that away."

Anju was impatient with her grandmother's problematic mental state. She didn't want to deal with this today.

"Granny, please, you have to eat something." Her voice was stern.

"Tortus, you impossible child! I told you I've already eaten!"

"Fine! Don't eat my food."

Her voice was shrill. Irritated in her manner she turned for the door.

"Phew!"

Anju stopped in her tracks, turning toward her grandmother again.

"Phew?"

The old woman stammered in response. "Phew...what are you still doing here child!"

Anju slammed the door shut. Her grandmother's antics were getting on her last nerve. She couldn't tell if the old woman was senile or if she was just difficult. Either way, her rebellion was infuriating. She hurried upstairs to her room, and slammed that door as well.

She set down the platter on her nightstand and sunk unto her bed. Her eyes forcibly ignored the festal wedding gown, propped gracefully on a mannequin in the middle of the room. Angrily, she began to shove the food into her mouth. It burned her tongue, but she did not stop.

Her mind raced with every bite, jumbling in a flurry all her sadness, her anger, her worry. She thought of how selfish her grandmother was. How sour her mother had been, and how intrusive. She thought of Cremia, beautiful perfect Cremia who stole her fiancé with her beautiful perfect body. She hated them. She hated the Inn. She hated this food. She hated this hideous wedding dress she spend weeks sewing, just to be abandoned 3 days before the wedding. She hated him. She hated him. She _hated_ Kafei.

No matter how much flavorless porridge she stuffed down her throat, the lump in it didn't go away. Soon enough, she was brought to tears. She tried to swallow in between heavy sobs. It was overwhelming. It was cruel. Suddenly she stood, raising the bowl in her right hand, ready to splatter its contents all over that wedding dress. To bring an end to it all. Standing there with her arm in the air, frowning deeply, ready to ruin her dress, tears streaming down her red cheeks.

She couldn't bring herself to do it.

Something had stopped her. Her pounding heart tightened in her chest. Slowly, she lowered her arm, setting the bowl down, never taking her eyes off that white dress.

_I don't…. hate him._

Even if she truly wanted to, she could not hate the man she had loved so deeply, for so long. She felt weak. There was a silk of faith draping somewhere within her empty spirit. However gentle, it was still there, and it had stopped her from ruining the one thing in the room that blatantly reminded her of her suffering.

He did not run off with Cremia. He did not run off anywhere. Kafei had always been kind. He was sincere. Accusing him of running off was easier than accepting the fact that maybe… something had happened to him. Anju sank back into her linens, now in fear. Warm tears still trickling down her face. The unsettling feeling of the unknown, the worry, the anxiety, it was swallowing her body whole.

"Kafei…" She whimpered his name aloud. Thirty days had passed since his disappearance. Thirty days had passed since she uttered his name.

She retreated into a shell, holding onto her knees and burying her face. She let herself cry. She let her heart ease into a steady beat again. After calming down, her eyes reflected the dress once more. Not knowing what happened to her fiancé rotted her insides. But giving up entirely was not something she would allow herself to do. She would hold on to whatever small hope she had left, until it completely dried out. Only then, when she could no longer feel, would she succumb into cold-heartedness. Now, there was work to be done. Time waited for no one.

Anju forced herself to get up from the bed, head to the basin, and splash cold water on her face, denying that any tears had run down her features. She looked into the mirror while drying her skin.

_Go downstairs. The day goes on. There's work to be done._

And so she did. After fixing her bangs and straightening her skirt, Anju headed back down to the front desk. The dancer was still pacing her way through the Inn. A repetitive tune could be heard coming from the room the troupe was staying in. For some reason it reminded Anju of a rainy day.

As if on cue, once she returned to the counter, the timely postman had walked through the door. His tight white shorts and vibrant red hat caused heads to turn all around town.

"Mail for Anju!" His voice was high and sharp.

That was strange. She never received personal letters anymore.

"For me?" She raised her brow.

"Ya!"

The postman handed her a letter sealed with a purple adhesive.

She stared at it intently, and he hands began to shake. There was something oddly familiar about this letter.

"Where… where did you get this?" She was in shock.

_This purple adhesive… is it…!?_

"From the postbox!" The postman was jogging in place, ready to leave and stay on his precise schedule.

"That's not what I mean." Anju fumbled with the letter, quickly opening it and scanning its contents. This handwriting… she recognized it immediately.

"From the postbox where?"

"From the postbox somewhere!"

"That's not what I mean…!"

Before she could ask him anything further, the postman made his swift exit.

Her pulse had quickened. She mouthed the simple words on the letter, as she read what was no doubt, Kafei's distinctly gentle handwriting.

* * *

_My love, I pray I may be forgiven. Please wait for me._


	2. Ch 2 - Curse of the Fox Child

"_The wedding ceremony is soon. It might be early, but I finished my wedding mask. I wonder if Anju has made hers? She tends to do things at the last minute, so probably not. There is a gathering of the fellows at the Milk Bar tonight. I plan to show off my wedding mask and talk about my sweetheart as best I can_."

* * *

The man mused a bit at his entry before closing the journal. He averted his gaze to the golden mask propped up on the desk, shimmering in the lingering evening light. Proud of his work, he carefully secured it within his satchel and swung it over his shoulder. Once he emerged from his sectioned living space, the Madame took instant notice.

"Evening dear, going out?" His mother sat by the fire in their separated room, neck deep in paperwork yet blissfully sipping her tea nonetheless. Madame Aroma had a knack for enthusiasm despite stressful work; a trait Kafei wished had rubbed off more on him.

"I'll be returning late from the bar." He smiled as he made his way towards her. Taking his mother's plump hand in his, he leaned in closer. "Please get some rest tonight. Don't work too hard."

"Oh dear you know your mother." She chuckled heartily. "Carnival time is coming and already there's much to do! Don't you worry about me. Have fun playing with your friends."

Kafei let out a slightly flustered sigh. "Ma, I'm twenty five. I'm going to have a drink with my colleagues."

The Madame pinched her son's cheek in between two bright red nails. "I know, I know. You're a man now. I still can't believe my baby will be married in a month!"

Kafei sighed again. "I'll be going now." He patted the back of her hand and made his way out of their shared quarters. Soon he'd no longer call Town Hall his home. He'd have his own suite, with Anju. Thinking of this warmed his spirit.

The quiet summer night seemed an entirely different world from the atmosphere of the bar. Upon entering, Kafei was instantly greeted by his friends with laughter. He bowed to them in a comical fashion.

"His excellency has finally arrived!" One of the guards at the counter mocked. "Would you be so kind as to grace us with you presence, my lord?"

Kafei chuckled as he made his way over to the gaudy group. "Naturally, the lot of you would be sauced before my arrival."

The men pulled their late friend down beside them, ordering him a drink with haste.

The man from the Curiosity Shop pat his back as he spoke. "Naturally, you would be late to your own bachelor's party." They had been comrades since Kafei was very young.

"I'll have you know I was late with reason." The bachelor pulled out his shining work from the satchel, presenting it proudly. The men cheered humorously at it.

"You're a peach look at you blushing, you might as well be the bride!" The older man loved to push him around. Kafei's face had only gotten redder.

Although he was the stooge of the night he couldn't have been happier, celebrating his engagement with his companions. The night went on in high spirits. Kafei flattered his bride to be at every opportunity. His heart glazed with blissful glory. The fellows bantered and teased in liveliness. A love story like Anju and Kafei's was a timeline treasure. Friends turned lovers in a lifetime of rich story was a rarity that was envied and celebrated. It was a storybook love the whole town would soon honor.

Once the clock chimed at the 2 am hour, the gathering took note of their late presence. Back out into the summer night, Kafei said his stuttering goodbyes to his drunken friends.

"You don't need me to carry your royal ass home?" The shop owner laughed.

"I think I'll take a walk, I feel good." Kafei watched the stars above with lacquered eyes. The older man laughed once more.

"Don't stay out too late. Or tipsy out in an alley for fuck's sake."

Kafei smiled and put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Yes thank you, mother dear."

The shop owner shrugged him off with a middle finger and a snicker.

The echoing of the group's chatter soon became silence, and Kafei was alone in the night.

Stumbling in his stride, the happy drunk went off beyond the city walls. Outside Clock Town the air was allowed to roam free. A breeze circled around him, tousling his purple hair. Closing his eyes at the feeling, releasing into the smell of a late estival season. It was a floating feeling. His stomach bubbled in liquor and love. Enjoying the quiet around him as he strolled, he let thoughts of his bride consume his faint mind. Sweet and serious Anju. Nervous and honest and strawberry haired Anju. So blue in her manner, yet so red in her passion. Kafei smiled to himself.

The sensation that overcame him then, he would never forget.

It was sudden.

That drunken ardor of careless happiness began to drown, and lightheadedness beckoned him into a swirl with the wind. The stars above became fuzzy. Around, and around, and around. Something danced with him, it gently grazed his cheek, it took his hand into the woods. Further from town, the darkness was let loose, consuming.

Consuming.

… _!?_

He was no longer aware of his direction. His joy was now lost. Something had led him astray, something light and mischievous and wicked. A child's laugh. A loss of balance. A spinning world.

Kafei lost control of his body and fell onto the earth. He felt not ground against his skin, but a vacuum all around him. He opened his mouth to scream, but silence remained.

It was foul. Corrupt. Swaying in the air above him and …

pulling

_pulling_ on his body until it was so heavy, he could no longer move.

His vision became twisted in intoxication; a kaleidoscope of colors obscured the world around him. The disarray came into focus as a presence in his mind. A set of golden round eyes pierced the center of his head with a stare so nightmarish it numbed his core.

It was not a human face.

_A mask..!?_

An impish voice echoed within him, resonating through every vein.

"You are a foolish man."

The sound rang in his ears.

"Why are you so… happy?"

"You're careless. Foolish."

"_Hahahaha_!"

"You are not a _man_. You are a _child_!"

And suddenly, chaos.

Kafei's limbs became numb and panic struck. A rattling dizzied him further as the mask began to shake, it's eyes widened in a frenzy of terror. He could not move, he could not cry for help. Little by little, every fiber in his being began to contract. It was as if his body was becoming too small for his soul.

A flash of white and Kafei was pulled head first into a pool of memories, of emotions, he experienced in the past. Innocence. A childlike naivety. It rushed through his pores like steam, and tangled in his hair. It was painful. Melancholic.

And then, darkness.

"Now, this look really _suits_ you!"

"_Hahahaha_!"

* * *

Dawn lingered above Clock Town when he awoke in neurotic discomfort. Another restless night showed itself in dark bags beneath a set of deep red eyes. The boy squinted at the stone ceiling, feeling an ache tighten his body. The mattress was stiff. The air was stale. Books and wooden boxes were littered about; leaving a brown smell in the cluttered room. A lit torch illuminated the tiny lodge with a dim crackling fire. He shivered.

Today, his efforts would pay off. Today, he would put his new plan into motion.

_Three days._

It was as though his whole existence depended on the following three days.

The boy rose from his rigid cot, body and bones pulling and cracking. He made his way to a small basin by the fire, kneeling to wash his face in cold water. Seeing the reflection within it, he grimaced. His expression was that of a tired, worked man. It did not match his young demeanor. The boy's soul was too mature for this body, too big for its cage. It grieved inside of him, shaking his skeleton in woe.

Kafei suffered his wicked curse another day.

He had been hiding in a chamber behind the curiosity shop for a month now, at the mercy of his old friend. Although his current condition appropriated his disappearance, a much more complicated problem was at hand. Kafei's wedding mask had been stolen from him by a prancing thief, notoriously known in Clock Town by the name of Sakon.

Once damned by the mysterious entity in the woods, Kafei had sought out help in the form of prayer. On his way to the Fairy Fountain in the northern part of town, another misfortune had gotten the better of his luck. Unable to fight off the thief in this child's body, he was taken advantage of and the eerie man escaped with ease.

In anger and vengeance, Kafei would steal back his precious item. Child or man, it did not matter, for now his intentions were strategic.

_Everything that is stolen in town eventually makes its way to the Curiosity Shop. Without question, that is where my mask will be. Once I have it, I will go see her._

From the basin he made his way to a small desk. It was the only thing in the room kept tidy. Kafei despised clutter and disorder. Keeping things clean was his way of coping with stress. Upon recent events, he had been rearranging things quite often, almost methodically.

A deep breath, and he dipped a feather pen in ink. Surprisingly, he found that even in this youthful body he retained his graceful writing. Gliding over the paper before him, the hopeful letter was written.

* * *

"_My Dearest,_

_ The ways in which I have hurt you I shall pay for in the afterlife. I have been so careless. My only wish is to be in your presence. To be wed. To be united for as long as time allows us. I beg you to understand, my intentions were never in malice, but born of my deepest affection. I will be able to see you again._

_My love, I pray I may be forgiven. Please wait for me._

_ -K_"

* * *

His slender fingers trembled as he sealed the letter. Would she understand? She was not obliged to.

_Is it foolish to believe she hasn't already moved on?_

Kafei couldn't help but think of the strain he had put on their relationship. The anger and sadness his beloved must be feeling, all alone and unexplained.

_Who am I to ask for forgiveness?_

He felt quite undeserving. The guilt was overwhelming, pushing his shoulders down, drowning his chest in a pool of regret.

_Regardless, I must continue._

No longer was it a matter of shame or selfishness, but one of passion for the other. He would prove himself worthy. He would carry out his plan, whether or not Anju would be waiting for his return, wedding mask in hand and pride in his appearance. However cruel life had been, he would reunite with his most precious person. This was his humanity.

His hands had stopped shaking.

Quiet and clear, he wore the face of a fox to hide his identity. Tucking the letter in his shirt, he blended in swiftness between the rays of early light. Barely making a sound against the cobblestone.

To his relief, the only townsfolk around this early were the carpenters. Too busy in their carnival preparation to notice the elusive fox boy. Making his way to the nearest mailbox, he dropped the letter within, heard the machine _ka-ching!, _and made a vanishing act.

Before completely disappearing back into the storage room, he lingered a stare at the pond, where they had first met. The pool glistened as if never changing, a constant through time. Within it he saw the stare of his beloved, so blue and restless in the breeze.


End file.
